Featured Image Credit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix/Francois Nel/Getty Images
Topics: Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, Netflix, Boxing
Gerrard Kaonga
Topics: Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, Netflix, Boxing
The fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson is only hours away but some fans have been left disappointed by the changes made to the rules for the bout.
The world has been waiting in anticipation as the former boxing heavyweight champion Iron Mike is set to go up against YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul. Admittedly this is definitely the strangest timeline.
Even so, the fight has drawn massive attention from all over the world.
Taking place in the heart of the USA at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the mega fight is going to be streamed live on Netflix 8 p.m. ET on November 15.
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However, while plenty of people are ecstatic about the possibilities, some have admitted to being concerned about the rules for the bout.
As you may have already guessed, this isn’t any normal fight, so I suppose it is fitting the rules are slightly tweaked.
Ahead of the fight, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has laid down three major conditions for the sanctioned fight between Paul and Tyson to go ahead.
One of the first major rule changes approved by the TDLR is that the sportsmen will be wearing 14oz gloves instead of the standard 10oz gloves worn in a heavyweight fight.
Despite what you might think, heavier gloves don’t actually hit harder. The heavier the glove, the more padding and the more shock absorbed by the glove. They are almost exclusively worn during sparring sessions.
As well as this change, the fight will only be eight rounds instead of the usual 12. Of those eight rounds, rather than be three minutes, like a normal professional bout, they are set to be two minutes long.
For the fight, there will be the usual three judges at ringside who will score each round in the event of there not being a knockout, which are sanctioned. No head guards will be allowed, either.
As you can imagine people on social media aren’t exactly pleased with these shifts away from the norm.
One person on Twitter wrote: "Nope. Two minute rounds . Heavier more padded gloves! This is strictly built for entertaining Jake’s fans. That being said, Tyson in 2."
Another added: “Practically a televised sparring session.”
A third wrote: "14 oz is heavier than amateurs. 10 or 12 oz would've been great."
Another wrote: "14-ounce gloves? So they’re just basically having a pillow fight?"
Despite the objections, Tyson has explained it was his decision to have shorter rounds.
“If we have shorter rounds, we’ll fight more. More action”.
Fans will have to wait and see if the rule changes benefit the entertainment factor or make the bout more of a dud.